


In My Head

by AlxSteele



Series: Through The Looking Glass [10]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alec is still obsessed with Magnus' work, Developing Relationship, Episode: s01e10 This World Inverted, Fluff and Angst, Izzy fixes everything as usual, Jealousy, M/M, Malec, Matchmaker!Izzy, light cursing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-15
Updated: 2016-04-15
Packaged: 2018-06-02 09:09:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6560482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlxSteele/pseuds/AlxSteele
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set in the AU of episode 10: This World Inverted. Magnus meets Alec’s ex and starts to worry that a centuries-old warlock who’s kind of boring hiding behind his mundane facade, isn’t enough for the lovely Alec Lightwood.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In My Head

**Author's Note:**

> I had requests for Magnus meeting one of Alec’s ex’s and getting super self-conscious and everything about it, thank you CeCe for the prompt! And so this is what happened.
> 
> Also, reminder that this is part of a series but doesn't *have* to be read in order, to be enjoyed. ;)
> 
> Title from In My Head by Jason Derulo because I had trouble naming this one and the song played when I put my music on shuffle...

“Come on, hurry.” It was early in the morning, the sky hidden behind a deep fog as Alec yelled at Jace and Izzy. He’d gotten up early, forcing Jace and Izzy to do the same with the promise of hot coffee and donuts. Of course, they’d come with him more because he wouldn’t leave them alone than that they wanted the coffee and donuts, which they got from Jace’s job.

Alec fell back, walking down the middle of the crowded street, putting one hand each on Jace and Izzy’s backs, propelling them forward. He tried to hide his eagerness but knew he wasn’t doing a very good job of it. At some point, Alec thought, he was really going to have to work on regaining his cool when it came to Magnus.

“Chill,” Jace said, drawing the word out and ending with a yawn.

“What are we doing again?” Izzy asked. Her hair flew into Alec’s mouth in the stiff breeze as it formed a frizzed mess around her head. A second later, she caught Jace’s yawn, stifling it as she buried her nose in her coffee, sniffing deeply.

Alec took a calming breath, rolling his eyes. “Magnus’s store is opening today. We’re going to visit him.”

“Visiting the boyfriend at work,” Izzy said, nodding and making her eyebrows dance.

Alec rolled his eyes as Jace smirked at him. Suddenly, Alec couldn’t remember why he’d thought it would be a good idea to drag the two of them along with him. Ever since they’d caught on to the fact that Magnus wasn’t just another guy to Alec — Izzy figuring it out at least a week before Jace — they hadn’t stopped teasing him. He was older than them both, and therefore mature enough not to stoop to their level and not be bothered by the teasing… For the most part.

The truth, though Alec would never tell either of them, was that when he wasn’t busy being his normal calm, cool, collected self — adjectives he’d seemed more focused on than usual recently — and not going all…mushy? Romantic? Weak kneed? When around Magnus; Alec was terrified. He’d dated…quite extensively, in his twenty-one years. Had relationships and flings. But he’d never…felt this way. A way he couldn’t even name. He’d never been this serious about…anything, or anyone before.

So he didn’t think about it. Instead pushing Isabelle and Jace down the street faster.

Magnus had set up shop a few doors down from his loft, in a ground floor storefront. Alec had only seen the building once, a small rectangular room with dim lighting and horribly purple walls. Magnus had banned him from it since he started working on the place.

As they got closer to the store, Alec forced down the normal — excitement…giddiness? — he always felt when he was about to see Magnus, trying to act like a normal person.

Alec opened the door that read Magnus’ Mystical Remedies and, in smaller text, apothecary and home remedies, open for his siblings. He rolled his eyes when he noticed they had never changed out of their matching plaid pajama bottoms. The three oldest Lightwoods — Jace having officially changed his name to Lightwood a few years before — had spent the night at their parent’s large house with a promised movie night with the youngest Lightwood sibling, Max.

Alec felt his eyes grow wide as he stepped into the store, taking everything in. Heard Izzy gasp slightly and noticed that even Jace’s eyebrows had risen. Alec blinked for a minute, not sure how this was even the same place he’d been in a few weeks before. It was still fairly small and rectangular, but nothing about it was plain or boring, more…eye catching.

The walls were painted a shimmering blue, glass shelves covered the walls so it looked like most the products were floating in midair, and the floor was a slate gray stone. There were bottles and jars of all shapes and sizes on the shelves, all the colors of the rainbow and every shade of those colors. There were definitely more than Alec had seen before, even though he’d been haunting through Magnus’ workspace ever since he’d fallen down the stairs that one time, obsessed with trying Magnus’ products.

“Wow. What do these all do?” Izzy asked, approaching the nearest table in the center of the room, on which was a large display of bright pink products.

Alec moved forward quickly, completely forgetting to call for Magnus who was clearly in the back room somewhere. Alec quickly grabbed Izzy’s arm, pulling her around the room and pointing out the various lotions, potions, and salves, and everything in between.

“This one helps with migraines. And this one stops cramps. And this one heals burns. Oh, this one is my favorite, smell.” He’d grabbed a small tub of a pale green lotion, opening it and sticking it under Izzy’s nose for her. She was laughing so hard that she could barely stop to take a sniff, it smelled like melons.

“What’s it do?” Isabelle asked as Jace looked through the pile of bottles Alec had been handing to him, making Jace hold them for him.

“Nothing really. Magnus says it’s a calming lotion, but mostly it just makes your skin really smooth. Did you smell it?”

Isabelle stopped for a moment, in the middle of a loud unabashed laugh, staring at her big brother intently from behind her large glasses. She blinked slowly as Alec got distracted by another potion — this one a glowing silver — and Jace grabbed one of the pink bottles from the table, mixing it into Alec’s ever growing pile.

Alec glanced back at Izzy after a moment, she looked younger suddenly, hair pulled into a loose ponytail, eyes wide behind her glasses, wearing an old Lord of The Rings shirt with a hole in the sleeve.

“What?” he asked, a small grin curving up the corner of his mouth.

Izzy shook her head, “Nothing,” she said. _You’re in love_ , she thought, but she wasn’t sure Alec knew yet and didn’t want to ruin it for him, didn’t want to spoil the moment he’d realize it for himself.

Just then there was a noise behind them and Alec turned to see Magnus coming out from behind deep purple curtains that hid the storeroom from the actual store.

There was a dark counter in the back behind which Magnus stopped. Magnus was dressed in a super nice dark blue shirt, hair spiked up just slightly in a way that immediately caught Alec’s eyes. Everything about Magnus in fact, caught Alec’s eyes. He always did of course, but this was different. Magnus was different. Alec couldn’t quite figure out what it was, but the normally muted man seemed…more alive than ever. Like the air around him was glowing…like he was at his happiest without even smiling.

“Alexander,” Magnus said, suddenly. Alec’s eyes widened as he turned to face them. Magnus grinned his wide open, sincerest grin that Alec didn’t get to see very often. “What have you done?” he asked, eying the pile of bottles and jars in Jace’s arms.

Alec turned to look at Jace, realizing just how many bottles he’d picked out. “We’re stocking up. Before you sell out,” Alec said, grinning. He could never stop the full, stupid grin on his face when he was around Magnus.

“You know I would just give you whatever you could possibly need…which shouldn’t be all of that, unless someone is dying,” Magnus added, moving from behind the counter and looking over everything Jace was struggling to hold.

Alec shook his head, still caught up in his boyfriend’s new look. Alec had been teasing him about needing more…physic-y clothes, but he hadn’t expected Magnus to actually start dressing differently. Even if the most dramatic difference was simply the newly styled hair and that…glow Alec couldn’t explain. “No. I want to buy the things.”

Jace dropped Alec’s stuff on the counter and Magnus shook his head at him before ringing everything up. As Izzy and Jace went to search for what they were going to buy, Alec moved behind the counter, slipping his arms loosely around Magnus’ waist from behind.

“I like what you did with the place,” he whispered in Magnus’ ear, grinning when Magnus shivered from their close proximity. “Nice outfit, by the way.”

Alec could feel him getting embarrassed and grinned again when he managed not to stutter in his reply, knowing it meant Magnus was finally getting more comfortable with him, with their relationship. “Isabelle helped pick it out,” he said.

Alec’s jaw dropped and he stepped back. Magnus turned slowly, only to be fixed with Alec’s best hurt expression. “My sister, really? You went _shopping_ with her, even though you always refuse to come with me?”

Before Magnus could reply, Alec swept forward, planting the smallest kiss on his slightly parted lips.

“Because of this, I get to take you out to dinner tonight. To celebrate.” Alec said, fixing Magnus with his best stern expression.

“How’s that a punishment?” Magnus whispered after a moment or two.

“I get to pick where we go, and what you wear,” Alec added with an evil smile, crossing back around the counter to pay for his excessive amount of potions and salves.

***

Dinner that night was at a small, dimly lit romantic restaurant on the top floor of some fancy building Magnus had never been in before. Alec had picked out a simple black suit for him, wearing a light gray suit with a pale blue shirt himself. He’d also insisted Magnus leave his hair in its slightly spiked style. Magnus had to admit though, it was growing on him.

Dinner was a quiet and pleasant event. Alec asking a million questions about Magnus’ first day at the store, and amusing the warlock with his interest in every little thing concerning it. Magnus still felt that pang though, the same one he’d been hiding from since they started this whole thing. The one that told him he couldn’t tell Alec the truth, that he was a warlock. Hundreds of years old. That magic was real and Magnus had a seemingly unlimited — though actually very limited — supply of it.

It was easy to forget about all that though, sitting across from Alexander, watching his full unencumbered grin cross his face over and over again, in a very addicting manner. Making Magnus want to keep talking, say the same things over and over, say every little thought that crossed his mind in the hopes that it would make Alec smile like that again.

By the time they’d finished eating, hours had passed and night had fully set. Alec stood from their romantically lit table first, holding his hand out to Magnus and pulling him in close when he stood. He turned to walk with Magnus tucked into his side.

It was odd for Magnus. He was shorter, and often felt quite a bit smaller all around, than Alec; who was so tall as to tower over nearly everyone. It was odd because Magnus was centuries old, magic flowing through his fingertips, yet walking like this, skin tingling where their sides were pressed together, Magnus felt small in the best way possible.

Alec was whispering in Magnus’ ear as they headed to the front of the restaurant when he stopped suddenly, mid-word, mid walk. Magnus took a half step further than him before pausing, their hands still clasped together.

“Alexander?” Magnus asked, tilting his head. Magnus followed Alec’s gaze as a couple was lead through the densely packed tables from the front of the room. They’d caught Alec’s eye, making him look like he wanted to disappear suddenly.

Magnus stood frozen as they got near, one of the men’s eyes caught on Alec and widened slightly before moving to take in Magnus, a smirk slowly crossing his face. The man looked to be Alec’s age – twenty-two at the most – tall and muscular, with perfectly tousled blond hair, bright blue eyes, and an, by all accounts, perfect face. Chiseled jaw, sharp cheekbones. He carried himself with a certainty, like he knew he was pretty and expected people to be looking at him, wanted people to look at him.

Magnus felt dread filling the pit of his stomach, causing a bitter taste in his mouth even though he didn’t understand why right away.

The blond man, along with a smaller, younger dark haired man who frowned at the blond, came to a stop a foot or so away from Alec and Magnus.

Magnus turned back to Alec, who stood up straighter, pulling his mask back on, the perfect little smile and otherwise blank face, eyes dancing with the smallest amount of amusement when Magnus could sense Alec actually found nothing amusing about the situation.

“Alec,” the blond said, looking at Alec like Magnus wasn’t standing right there. He lifted his hand, resting it casually against Alec’s arm and making both Magnus and Alec’s eyes widen the smallest bit in displeasure. “I haven’t seen you in forever.” His voice was velvety smooth and struck Magnus the wrong way so that he felt like sending a little shock of magic at him, just enough to make him feel it, make him stop touching Alec like that.

Magnus shifted uncomfortably, eyeing the blond’s partner as the blond continued to stare at Alec like he was the only person in the room.

“Edmund,” Alec finally said dryly, not even bothering to hide the fact that he didn’t find it sad they hadn’t seen each other in _forever_. “How’re your parents?” he asked pleasantly.

Magnus was about to suggest he’d meet Alexander out front when Alec’s hand tightened on Magnus’, pulling him closer again.

The blond — Edmund — stopped halfway through a tirade Magnus wasn’t paying attention to that involved his obviously rich parents. “Alec, you haven’t introduced your...friend.” Edmund said in a way that made it clear he knew Magnus wasn’t just a friend.

Magnus was feeling more and more uncomfortable and awkward as the seconds passed, even more so as the sharp blue eyes looked him up and down once more, slowly. The smirk crossing his face telling everyone that he found Magnus came up short.

Alec’s voice was still tight when he replied. “Edmund McFancyPants –” that wasn’t the name Alec called him, but it was the one Magnus thought fit him best while not being crass. “This is Magnus Bane, my boyfriend. Magnus, this is Edmund, we went to school together. A long time ago,” Alec added as an explanation.

“Right,” Edmund grinned in a not so charming manner. “Not that long ago, Alec. I assume you haven’t forgotten all our time together so soon,” he said leadingly.

Alec stood up even straighter, looking away. “Yes, well. It was…nice seeing you, but we have plans.”

Edmund’s eyes flashed, but Alec wasn’t looking at him, staring pointedly over his shoulder so that he didn’t see the vicious grin Edmund gave Magnus, a challenge hidden in it somewhere. “Call me,” he called after Alec with a small wave of his fingers.

Magnus followed after Alec, who didn’t bother with a single syllable reply to Edmund. As they stepped into the elevator and then out onto the street Magnus felt…strange. Unnerved.

He was trying not to dwell on the feelings, sensing that he was on the verge of reverting to his overthinking self, but it was hard to ignore the sudden awkward chill. Where not even five minutes before they’d been pressed close, snuggling and overly comfortable. Now, Alec and Magnus stood just as close, but there was something there, awkwardly hanging between the two.

“So…” Magnus said finally, waiting for Alec’s thoughtful gaze to turn to him before continuing. “Ex-boyfriend, huh?”

***

Magnus woke up the next morning in his bed, not really wanting to get up. The night before, he’d been sure he’d end up falling asleep curled with Alec on his couch as had become the normal at least three nights a week. But they’d found themselves standing awkwardly in front of Magnus’ door last night. Alec apologizing for ruining the night, and Magnus insisting it was still great, amazing even…

And it was, but now there was this thing between them and he knew it wasn’t a big deal…it shouldn’t have been. But they’d been in this relationship bubble. Everything perfect and way too easy. Now here was something real, trying to challenge it, and they weren’t sure what to do with it. At least, that’s how it felt to Magnus.

Magnus, who was trying not to think of the taller blond man. Trying not to think of the googling he’d done the night before. Trying not to think how Magnus himself was the exact opposite of the blond man, from looks to manners to…everything. Edmund, Magnus thought with despair and disgust in even amounts, was rich and confident and obviously…not quite beautiful, his features too severe for that word but definitely attractive. More attractive than Magnus at any rate.

Magnus sighed. He was a four-hundred-year-old — okay, maybe older — warlock, who was jealous of some rich blond boy. Of course, he wasn’t just a rich blond boy, Magnus had figured out the night before. He was becoming a lawyer and did modeling on the side. Magnus was…Magnus. Reserved and nervous even after his hundreds of years. Changed after demons were destroyed from the world and he’d locked away his magic. He could feel himself opening up again, getting more in touch with his human side and becoming… _more_ , but it hadn’t happened overnight.

If Magnus allowed himself to think about it, he knew it wasn’t just that other man, someone Alec had maybe dated in the past, it was everything else. Magnus was a warlock. Magnus pretended to be, and kind of was, just some weirdo who did tarot card readings and consulted people on their mystical future, making potions and salves…it wasn’t exactly normal. Magnus was magic, but had to hide it. He didn’t hide the weird…

Alec was bright and shining, the moon when everyone else was stars. Alec was smart and beautiful, wild and strange. He’d graduated high school and college early. He’d never shied away from anything as far as Magnus could tell… He partied every night, simply having fun and living while Magnus…floated. What could Alexander possibly see in him?

Magnus sighed, standing up in his silk pajamas and making his way to the bathroom. This was only one of many questions he’d been hiding from since they started this whole thing. He wouldn’t sit around mooning over it all day. He wouldn’t sit around waiting for… Waiting for Alec to realize everything Magnus already knew, that Magnus wasn’t what he deserved. That he could do so much better.

There was a knock on his door then, and Magnus moved listlessly to answer it.

Surprise edged out his doubts when he found the shorter, younger Lightwood sibling standing there, looking at him through foggy glass, her hair in two braids. Isabelle grinned, holding out a cup of steaming coffee.

“It’s a white mocha,” she said as Magnus took a cautious sip. Of course it was. Since Clary’s birthday party where Isabelle had insisted they had to be friends, Magnus and her had gone for coffee a handful of times, a movie once — it was a disaster as they both ended up in tears watching the newest dramatically doomed love story — and shopping one other time.

“Thanks, lovely,” Magnus said, making Izzy grin.

“We’re spending the day together. Hope you didn’t have any plans.”

***

Isabelle sighed to herself as she watched Magnus half-heartedly flip through bins of comics. Of course, she’d known he wouldn’t really enjoy going to the comic book store, but she’d also known she couldn’t leave him all day to his thoughts. She’d come to know enough about her brother’s boyfriend to know he wasn’t very confident when it came to Alec. Even though he could glare down anyone that said anything he didn’t like. Even though he walked with this…grace and power that made people afraid to approach him most the time. When it came to Alec…Magnus was stupid.

Izzy couldn’t figure out what it was, the two of them were stupidly happy together, but Magnus also seemed like he could bolt from it at any moment and that scared Isabelle. Because she could see how much her brother cared and she could see how much Magnus cared. And, despite herself, she loved her idiot brother and was growing quite fond of his boyfriend. Izzy wasn’t the kind to stand back and let them figure things out for themselves, not when they clearly needed help.

So Izzy would keep him busy all day if only so he didn’t start overthinking things about Alec’s past. Izzy had come up with the plan the night before when Alec told her about the disaster of running into his old college fling. Isabelle knew the truth, when it came to Alec’s love life, no one had compared to Magnus. Alec had never even looked at anyone like he looked at Magnus.

“Come on,” Isabelle said. “I think you need more coffee.”

***

Magnus felt…confused seemed to be the best word. He was actually immature and stupid. He was miserable. He was scared. He was jealous. He was ignoring Alec because, like he insisted whenever Izzy called, he was busy with the store and he and Alec had plans for the next day. It wasn’t his fault things kept coming up. It was his fault he’d started overthinking and came to one very… to one conclusion that he hated more than he’d hated anything or anyone.

Magnus was a four-hundred-year-old warlock who would never die. Alec was a twenty-one-year-old mundane completely naive to magic and the supernatural. And they’d never work out. Not for long anyway.

***

Alec was…pissed. Alec was stupid too, he knew. He shouldn’t have left that night. He should’ve told Magnus what Edmund was, some stupid ex Alec had never loved, had only been with out of convenience more than anything else. That Alec was never going to call him, never wanted to see him…unless it was to punch him for ruining their perfect night.

That Alec… That Alec… That he’d never felt like this about anyone else. No one but Magnus.

Alec should’ve stayed and fallen asleep on the couch and not let Magnus push him away again. He’d been stupid, until Izzy practically smacked him in the face with the truth. He’d been a little…down, not sad just…dismayed because Magnus had been so busy and didn’t have time to go out. He hadn’t realized Magnus had been lying. Been pushing him away. Until Izzy pointed it out.

Alec rolled his eyes, stomping up the stairs to Magnus’ door. It really was annoying to have such a know it all sister like Izzy. What would he do without her?

So Alec was…wrecked. He felt it. His heart hurt and he was scared. Scared about what it meant that Magnus was pulling away and that he’d try to pull even further away. He was also pissed at Magnus though, for pulling away, for not talking to him. Was it all about Edmund? Alec didn’t care, he just wanted the chance to reassure Magnus because there was no fucking way Edmund meant anything to him whereas Magnus….

Alec held his breath, knocking on the door because he was afraid to find it locked when Magnus had started leaving it unlocked every night for Alec to come over and let himself in.

The door opened and Alec’s breath whooshed out of his body. Magnus didn’t look up at first, and it killed Alec how his shoulders were slumped. He was wearing old sweats and a shirt that was a little too big for him.

When Magnus looked up, Alec felt worse than ever, heart pounding, pulse rushing, head foggy and full of worry because Magnus didn’t even smile. He tried too, but it was fake and Alec could see the gears turning, practically hear the words Magnus was putting together before he said them.

“No!” Alec blurted out, shocking both of them. Magnus straightened up, blinking into Alec’s widened, panicked eyes. “No. If you’re about to break up with me then just…stop right now.”

“How—” Magnus started before flushing and breaking away. Magnus turned and headed back into his loft. Alec stood frozen for a minute, pain and anger warring inside him because Magnus hadn’t tried to deny that was what he was about to do.

A minute or two passed as Alec struggled to gather all his runaway thoughts, before storming into the loft behind Magnus. “Okay, we need to talk,” he said, finding Magnus at the dining table, picking up his tarot cards. Chairman Meow was sitting in the other seat and Alec barely gave the cat half a thought even though it appeared Magnus had been doing a reading for the Chairman.

“You don’t just get to pull away and ignore me for no reason and then…try to break up with me or whatever. That’s not how this works.” Alec’s voice wasn’t raised, but it was filled with everything he was feeling, mostly panic at that moment. He stared at Magnus’ back, heart palpating in his chest, suddenly terrified that there was nothing he could say to change Magnus’ mind. “Just…please, tell me what’s going on?” Alec hated how weak he sounded. How weak he felt.

Magnus turned suddenly, folding his arms. “Nothing is going on, Alec. I’ve just been…thinking.”

Alec flinched at his own name, stopping breathing for a moment before pressing on. He took half a step forward; the loft was darker than usual, but there was still plenty of light to see the blank expression on Magnus’ face. “What have you been thinking about?”

When Magnus didn’t say anything, Alec took another step closer. He wanted to reach out, pull Magnus to him, but restrained himself. “I know this isn’t all so…easy for you. Being with me. I know you aren’t… I know you’re nervous about being in a relationship and it’s okay but… Please, don’t push me away.”

Alec breathed shallowly for a moment, watching Magnus’ eyes skirt away from him over and over again. When Magnus finally looked at him, he took it as an invitation, stepping forward once more, close enough that one more step and they’d be touching.

Magnus let out a shaky breath. “Why?” he asked finally. Alec frowned, waiting for him to continue. “Why me, Alexander? I’m…some strange physic who know owns an apothecary. I’m…me. Why would you want to be with me, when you could have… Anyone?”

Alec continued to frown while Magnus flinched at his own stupidly needy words.

Alec reached out, grabbing Magnus’ hand and pulling him towards the couch. They sat facing each other and Alec took both Magnus’ hands in his before using their hands together to lift Magnus’ chin up until they were staring into each other’s eyes.

“That’s a stupid question. First of all, no one gets to pick who they… Who they're attracted to. Who they like. Who they want to spend every waking moment with. But,” Alec stopped for a second, biting his lower lip and staring at Magnus like nothing else existed in the world even as Church knocked something over in the bedroom, loud enough to send Chairman Meow streaking out the window.

Alec felt everything bubbling up but was afraid to say too much, settling for the truth he felt more than anything else. “Even if I could pick who made me feel this way… I’d pick you, Magnus Bane. And I’m perfectly fine laying here all night, listing the reasons for you.”

Magnus was feeling stupider than ever, staring at Alec and trying to bite back a smile. Alec was all serious and sincere, eyes never wavering from Magnus’. And Magnus was an over thinker, an idiot. But he was also feeling better.

He pulled back, rolling his eyes. “I don’t think there’s any need for that, Alexander,” he said.

Alec grinned, keeping hold of Magnus’ hands when he tried to pull away. “Oh, I think there is,” Alec replied.

He quickly kicked off his shoes, only letting go of Magnus long enough to get settled back against the couch. Then he pulled Magnus to him once more, Magnus going only too easily. Once Magnus was settled against Alec’s chest, he started talking again.

“God, this is so hard. I don’t know where to start…” Alec said with a small laugh that Magnus could feel against his cheek. “I mean, the obvious thing to mention first would be the hair. Whatever you do with it, laying flat, spiked up…that time you let me put glitter in it… Hair should not make a person feel so much, I swear.”

Under the teasing tone, Magnus could hear how serious Alec was, running his hands through Magnus’ hair. Normally all the attention would embarrass Magnus, but laying there, in the near dark, everything just felt perfectly easy. Perfect period. Like he’d never doubted anything. His blood, his heart beat, everything, hummed, content as Alec talked and his hands ran through Magnus’ hair.

Alec’s voice got softer. “I also love how I’m taller than you and you have to look up at me… Don’t even get me started on how you have to stand on your toes to kiss me. Again, nothing should cause so many feelings.”

Alec knew he could go on all night and he did for the longest time. Listing things he loved. Reasons he’d pick Magnus over anyone given the choice. There were other words, simpler ones, beating against a cage in his chest, but he wasn’t sure what they were. He could guess, of course, there were just three of them, and some of them he was saying right then, but he didn’t know how to say them. Not yet.

“Oh, I almost forgot, your potions. No. No. I’m serious! They aren’t weird. They’re the best thing ever.”

Magnus sat up then, closing his eyes and pressing his lips to Alec’s before Alec could swallow his laughter and process what was happening. They sank into each other, letting out identical sighs and grinning against each other’s lips like they hadn’t gone nearly a week without talking. Like everything was perfectly simple and simply perfect.

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry this update took longer than I had expected, I’ve been busy and I’m doing Camp NaNo this month and things are hectic. I’m working to post twice a week though so fingers crossed that happens. Thank you all you lovely people who constantly leave kudos and the best comments, I love you, biscuits! Seriously, every comment just makes my whole day and makes me want to write faster and I love you ALL! <3<3<3
> 
> I'm on [Tumblr here](http://imawriteriwrite.tumblr.com/) and leave me any prompts you wish there or in the comments and I'll try to get to them. =)


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